Can You Stay On Plan While Traveling . . . And Still Have Fun?

What’s your favorite thing about spring? It’s tough to pick, but traveling definitely makes my list! Whether it’s for business, pleasure, or a little of both, it seems like everyone’s travel schedules pick up this time of year.

Traveling is great! Seeing new places always leaves me feeling inspired, and I’m always enthusiastic about trying interesting new foods in the places I visit. However, trying to stay on plan while traveling can present a variety of challenges. You may not want to stay on plan in the first place, and doing so without getting bored or giving up your vacation treats requires some creativity.

Thankfully, it is possible to stay on plan while traveling . . . and it doesn’t have to mean giving up your fun! As someone who spends a pretty good chunk of my year on the road (or in many cases, in the air), I’ve come up with a few strategies for having a great time without blowing my plan. These are a few of my favorite tips.

1.Exercise as often as you can.

Keeping up an exercise routine while you travel is key, but you might need to be flexible. If you’ve read many of my past blogs, you likely know that for me, exercise is usually my me time. However, when I travel with my family, I often end up working out with my 14-year-old son. It goes against my usual pattern, but hey—isn’t it every mom’s dream to have a teenager who still wants to spend time together? I love our bonding time over new exercises, and he always gets a kick out of it too.

Be willing to adjust your expectations. Your workout routine might look different than it does at home, but it’s still important to prioritize movement, whatever that looks like.

2. Build fun activities into your travel plans.

Working out can mean spending time in the hotel gym (as we often do), but it certainly doesn’t have to. It could mean walking through downtown streets. Playing in the waves at the beach. Hitting golf balls, throwing frisbees, playing tennis. Anything that allows you to move your body and score some extra steps!

3. Travel with protein shakes and bars.

When it comes to keeping up with your nutrition while traveling, it’s actually pretty simple to stay 90% true to your plan. A big part of that for me is packing shakes. I never go anywhere without my Zen Fuze powder. The amount you’ll bring is different for each trip, of course—generally, for a two-week trip, I bring a full bag of powder, a scoop, and some small baggies so that I can carry small portions with me if I want to. I also bring a shaker bottle (I love Blender Bottles) and a water bottle so I can mix up shakes on the go. They’re not always the most convenient thing to carry around, but it’s way better than letting my blood sugar crash.

If you’re not into carrying around the full shake setup, just bring some bars instead! Protein bars are small and portable, so you can tote around a few at a time if you’re planning to be out and about all day. I personally love Daryl’s Bars because they’re gluten free and soy free, and they use great ingredients. Quest Bars also offer a lot of good options—again, I’d go with the gluten-free kind to avoid bloating.

4. Drink lots of water.

This is true whether you’re at home or on the road, but it’s extra important when you’re traveling. Invest in a nice water bottle and don’t go anywhere without it. You can count the liquid in a shake as part of your water intake because it’s just water and powder, but you can’t count coffee, tea, beer, or wine. So bring your water bottle, and add a slice of lemon, orange, or lime if you start feeling bored with it.

5. Make strategic nutrition choices.

When I say this, I mean that you should stick as close to your plan as often as you can. I don’t mean that you have to be eating 100% perfectly when you’re on vacation, but if you choose your splurges strategically, you’re much less likely to get totally derailed.

Breakfast is an easy time to make good choices. Most hotels offer omelet bars these days, and beginning your day with egg whites and veggies is a great starting point. Likewise, choosing light fish with citrus sauce, shrimp cocktails, garlic chicken and similar dishes leaves you room to enjoy an extra glass of wine, a cocktail, or even a little dessert if you’re craving something sweet.

6. Advocate for yourself.

When you’re ordering dinner out, don’t be afraid to ask for substitutions. Personally, I always like to order my salmon and veggies “naked” (no butter, salt, or oil). Sometimes I get weird looks, but most of the time, restaurants are more than happy to accomodate. Asking lots of questions might feel awkward if you consider yourself an introvert, but you’re the customer—so be polite, but don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself and get the meal you really want.
 

That rounds out my top tips for having fun and staying healthy while traveling.

Do you have any trips coming up? Tell me about them in the comments, and feel free to drop your questions below too if you have any!

Until next time, I hope you have a wonderful week, and that you live a life you love without being hungry, feeling deprived, or giving up your glass of wine with dinner.

*Note: This blog talks about some of my favorite products. Because I love them so much, I am happy to be able to share a direct link to them in case you'd like some of your own. And because I refer people to these companies, they thank me in the form of a small commission which I use to try out other products to share with my customers.